One in 6 adults have admitted to either falsely claiming the Single Person Discount (SPD) or knowing someone who had done so in the past year, new research reveals.
A survey of 2,000 people by the fraud prevention service Cifas found that dishonestly claiming SPD remains one of the ‘most common’ types of first-party fraud.
Nine percent of respondents said falsely claiming SPD was ‘reasonable’, while 13% believed it was legal.
Over a quarter (28%) of 25-34-year-olds were the most likely to have dishonestly claimed the discount, according to Cifas’ findings.
Rachael Tiffen, director of public sector for Cifas, commented: ‘First-party fraud isn’t a harmless crime – it’s harmful. At a time when many households are feeling the squeeze of rising council tax bills, it’s more important than ever to recognise that council tax fraud, including false claims for Single Person Discount, puts vital local services at risk. It can also result in serious consequences for those individuals who act dishonestly.’
